Artwork That Tells a Story

We’re in the business of creating culture and community, and no place reflects that more than our Wesley Place precinct. But, while we put the finishing touches on this state-of-the-art development, we’ve gone further and commissioned a work of art to hero the people that encompass the Lonsdale Street community.  

We put the word out that we were looking for someone capable of illustrating our Wesley Place hoarding with imagery that captured the heart of the community. From a breadth of suitors our panel of stakeholders and local representatives selected Melbourne based artist and illustrator Andy Murray for the job. 

Murray nailed the brief; he was able to intuit the local sentiment and depict the area’s quirks, all via a drawing style inspired by Disney’s 101 Dalmatians. “The film’s character designer, Milt Khal, captures posture and gesture so beautifully,” explains Murray. “In my own drawings, the gesture of character is everything. I aimed to create small moments that talk to the viewer’s own life.”

And how do you capture the lives of those around Wesley Place? As Murray says, the best way is by people watching. “If this mural was to feel authentic, I’d need to capture everyone as they moved. Is the bike rider cruising through to Fitzroy Gardens or riding up to Wesley Place for work? Is the dog walker happy to chat or keen to keep moving? If it doesn’t feel real, the audience can tell.”

The approach to put local community’s human element at the heart of the artwork speaks to Wesley Place’s legacy as a local hub spanning cultures and generations. It’s a diverse location, and as such the vibrant green spaces surrounding the future-ready workplaces we’re constructing will beckon to one and all. 

As Murray puts it, it’s these people that “make up the tapestry of the precinct” he’s distilled. It was through this lens he depicted both the current and future faces that will call Wesley Place home, from members of the Wesley Church congregation and cafe workers of our soon to be vibrant retail offering, to local kids walking to school and our friendly construction workers. Andy even captured the likeness of Commander Andrea Quinn from the Australian Federal Police. Every inch of the hoarding artwork has a different story to tell, and we’re so pleased to have a community to share it with.